METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DYNAMICALLY PROCESSING AN ELECTROMAGNETIC BEAM

• US 20110098033A1
• Filed: 08/18/2010
• Published: 04/28/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/22/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: BRITZ, DAVID, Miller, Robert R.
• Granted Patent: US 8,811,914 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/422.1
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 15/002 said selective devices being reconfigurable or tunable, e.g. using switches or diodes
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 15/0026 said selective devices having a stacked geometry or having multiple layers
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 15/0086 said selective devices having materials with a synthesized negative refractive index, e.g. metamaterials or left-handed materials
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/44 varying the electric or magnetic characteristics of reflecting, refracting, or diffracting devices associated with the radiating element

Abstract

A method and apparatus for processing a terahertz frequency electromagnetic beam are disclosed. For example, the method receives the terahertz frequency electromagnetic beam via a metamaterial having a plurality of addressable magnetic elements, where a resonant frequency of each of the plurality of addressable magnetic elements is capable of being programmably changed via an adjustment, and activates selectively a subset of the plurality of addressable magnetic elements to manipulate the terahertz frequency electromagnetic beam.

Claims

1. A method for processing a terahertz frequency electromagnetic beam, comprising:

receiving the terahertz frequency electromagnetic beam via a metamaterial having a plurality of addressable magnetic elements, where a resonant frequency of each of the plurality of addressable magnetic elements is capable of being programmably changed via an adjustment; and

activating selectively a subset of the plurality of addressable magnetic elements to manipulate the terahertz frequency electromagnetic beam.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the adjustment causes a change in a path of the terahertz frequency electromagnetic beam.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the adjustment causes a change in a shape of the terahertz frequency electromagnetic beam.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the adjustment causes a change in a focus of the terahertz frequency electromagnetic beam.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the adjustment causes a change in a timing of the terahertz frequency electromagnetic beam.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the adjustment causes a change in a phase of the terahertz frequency electromagnetic beam.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the adjustment causes a change in a frequency of the terahertz frequency electromagnetic beam.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of addressable magnetic elements is configured in a three-dimensional matrix.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the three-dimensional matrix comprises a stack of programmable two-dimensional metamaterial layers of the plurality of addressable magnetic elements.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of addressable magnetic elements comprises a plurality of addressable split-ring resonators.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein each of the plurality of addressable split-ring resonators is independently addressable.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein each addressable split-ring resonator comprises a varactor device.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein each varactor device exhibits a capacitance proportional to a programmably-applied voltage.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein each programmably-applied voltage of each varactor is stored by a capacitor connected to a field effect transistor or a bipolar switch.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein each varactor'"'"'s bias is applied through two resistors connected to the capacitor for isolating a DC bias.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the method for processing the terahertz frequency electromagnetic beam is performed by a base station or a mobile endpoint device.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the mobile endpoint device comprises a mobile phone.

18. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

establishing a communication link using the terahertz frequency electromagnetic beam.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the adjustment is based on a signal strength of the terahertz frequency electromagnetic beam.

20. An apparatus for manipulating a terahertz frequency electromagnetic beam, comprising:

a three-dimensional matrix comprising a stack of programmable two-dimensional metamaterial layers of a plurality of addressable magnetic elements, where a resonant frequency of each of the plurality of addressable magnetic elements is capable of being programmably changed via an adjustment;

a power source; and

a controller coupled to the three-dimensional matrix and the power source for activating selectively a subset of the plurality of addressable magnetic elements to manipulate the terahertz frequency electromagnetic beam.